This invention relates to a process for the production of poly (polyisocyanate-polyol-alkali metal silicate) solid or foamed product by reacting an emulsion of an alkali metal silicate compound in a polyol with an organic polyisocyanate or polyisothiocyanate.
The products produced by this process may be quite varied in physical properties; they may be solid or porous, rigid or elastomine, and the porous products may be rigid or soft and flexible and is an improvement over previously produced poly (polyisocyanate-polyol-alkali metal silicate) products.
This process has an advantage over previous processes in that it may be used in many of the present polyurethane foaming machine. Two liquid components may be used to produce the foamed product.
The products produced by this invention may be utilized as sound and thermal insulating material, for shock-resistant packaging, as cushions, as floation material in boats, as fiber, as coating agents for wood and metal, as adhesives, as fillers, as impregnating agents, as casting material, as putty material, as constructional components of a building, etc. The products are novel, economical and have improved heat and flame resistant properties.
The poly (polyisocyanate alkali metal silicate) solid or foamed products are produced by reaction the following components:
Component (a) An emulsion of an alkali metal silicate which contains only water which is attached to the alkali metal silicate molecule in a polyol. PA1 Component (b) An organic polyisocyanate or polyisothiocyanate. PA1 1. Water. PA1 Water containing 10% to 70% by weight of an alkali metal silicate, such as sodium and/or potassium silicate. Crude commercial alkali metal silicate may contain any substances, e.g., calcium silicate, magnesium silicate, borates and aluminates and may also be used. The molar ratio of Me.sub.2 OSiO.sub.2 (Me=metal) is not critical and may vary within the usual limits, but is preferably between 4 to 1 and 0.2 to 1. PA1 3. Water containing 20% to 50% by weight of ammonium silicate. PA1 4. Water containing 5% to 40% by weight of magnesium oxide in the form of a colloidal dispersion. PA1 5. Alkali metal metasilicate such as sodium metasilicate, potassium metasilicate and commercial dry granular sodium and potassium silicates. Heating is required to start the curing reaction. PA1 6. Water containing 25% to 70% by weight of silica sol. PA1 7. Activators (catalysts) which act as curing agents and are added to the polyurethane silicate prepolymer in the amount of 0.001% to 10% by weight. They may be added in water. PA1 8. Water containing 1% to 10% by weight of bases which contain nitrogen such as tetraalkyl ammonium hydroxides. PA1 9. Water containing 1% to 10% by weight of alkali metal hydroxides such as sodium hydroxide; alkali metal phenolates such as sodium phenolate or alkali metal alcoholates such as sodium methylate. PA1 10. Water containing sodium polysulfide in the amount of 1% to 10% by weight. PA1 11. Water containing 20% to 70% by weight of a waterbinding agent, being capable of absorbing water to form a solid or a gel, such as hydraulic cement, synthetic anhydrite, gypsum or burnt lime. PA1 12. Mixtures of the above-named curing agents. PA1 (a) 10 to 99 parts by weight of an alkali metal silicate and 50 to 99 parts by weight of a polyol, PA1 (b) 50 to 99 parts by weight of an organic polyisocyanate or polyisocyanate; PA1 (c) 0.001% to 10% by weight of an initiator (catalyst), percentage based on weight of the component (a) and (b); PA1 (d) up to 10% by of a curing agent, percentage based on the weight of the reaction mixture, components (a) and (b). PA1 (e) up to 20% by weight of an emulsifying agent, percentage based on the weight of the reaction mixture, components (a) and (b). PA1 (f) up to 20% by weight of a foam stabilizer, percentage based on the weight of the reaction mixture, components (a) and (b). PA1 (g) up to 50% by weight of a filler, organic or inorganic particulate or pulverulent material, percentage based on the weight of the reaction mixture, components (a) and (b). PA1 (h) up to 50% by weight of a blowing agent, boiling within the range from 25.degree. to 80.degree. C., percentage based on the weight of the reaction mixture, components (a) and (b). PA1 (i) up to 200% by weight of a water-binding agent, percentage based on the weight of the reaction mixture, components (a) and (b). PA1 (j) 1 to 20 parts by weight of component (a) with 99 parts by weight of component may be mixed and reacted to produce a poly(polyisocyanatepolyol-alkali metal silicate) prepolymer, PA1 (l) up to 20% by weight of a salt forming compound, percentage based on the weight of Compont (a).